The Belgian publishers of the comic strip hero Tintin have objected to the politically correct renaming of one of the books in China.

There will be quite a firm reaction by us so that the next edition is corrected

Jacques Simon, Casterman

The first legal editions of Tintin's adventures were unveiled in China this week - decades after pirate copies first appeared.

But Tintin in Tibet has become Tintin in Chinese Tibet, to reflect Beijing's claim that Tibet is part of China.

The chairman of Casterman, Jacques Simon, said he had been taken by surprise the change in title.

Tintin: Back in the spotlight

"I think there will be quite a firm reaction by us so that the next edition is corrected," he told Belgian radio.

The Chinese publishers - China Children Publishing House - have also decided not to market Tintin in the Land of the Soviets, deeming it anti-communist.

Casterman's Willy Fadeur told the UK's The Guardian newspaper: "We have asked our partners to rectify the album, not for political reasons, but simply to defend the authenticity of the original and they have agreed."

New names

The cartoon hero will be known as Dingding in Chinese. Thomson and Thompson have become Dubang and Dubang and Tintin's dog Snowy is Baixue.

Chinese schoolgirl Wu Dan said she thought the boy reporter's young journalist's adventures in Tibet seemed so real.

"He is in Tibet, so he must be Chinese. If he's not
Chinese then he must really understand Chinese people and like
them very much. But I think he must be Chinese," the 14-year-old
told Reuters.